Motor Behavior Literature Fails to Translate: A Preliminary Investigation into Coaching and Focus of Attention in Recreational Distance Runners.

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(5): 789-801, 2020. The benefits of using an external focus relative to an internal focus for endurance activities are well documented. However, literature has revealed that internally focused instructions are predominantly adopted in the field, and existing data are limited to highly-skilled level populations. Moreover, athletes’ focus of attention during fatigue invoking activities is unknown. The purpose of the current study was to examine what type of feedback and instructions experienced recreational individuals receive and their self-adopted focus of attention when fatigued. Distance runners answered a questionnaire related to instruction and feedback from coaches and thoughts that the athletes experienced while fatigued. The results showed that more than half of the instructions runners received from coaches were internally focused and consisted of both knowledge of performance and knowledge of results. Self-reported focus of runners when fatigued revealed that only 15% of task-related thoughts were externally focused. Despite a large body of motor behavior literature, attentional strategies shown to increase performance and learning were not predominantly present (from coaches or self-adopted) for this population of experienced recreational distance runners